Mason (Fallen Crest High 0.5)

Logan looked at me. “I was at his office a long time ago, and she was there. They had lunch together or that’s what he said. He said it ran long. Dad was supposed to give me a ride somewhere, but he spent the whole afternoon somewhere else. His secretary had to call and remind him that I was there. She was with him when he got off the elevator.” He paused and then added, “And I saw her another time before that. She was at the gym. I was there with Dad, but he didn’t notice her then. She noticed him. When we went into the weight room, she followed us around.” He gestured to James. “He didn’t notice her at all. I think he had another girlfriend at that time.”

His words triggered a memory of the first time I met her. She had stared at me from the car when they left, after I caught them in the front entrance. I shook my head. My gut had been right. This one was going to be a problem. “I had no idea it’d been going on that long.” I looked at our dad again. “How long?”

He flushed. “It is none of your business.”

“She’s in our house too. That makes it our business.”

He shook his head. His anger rose and he lifted a hand over the seat to point at me. “Let’s get one thing straight, Mason. You will stop with this rebellious shit you’re pulling. You will stop being disrespectful to me. You will begin to cooperate with me, and you will set a better example for your brother.” Then he pointed to Logan, who started laughing. James turned to him and snapped, “Shut up. I won’t hear any more smartass comments from either of you. You will grow up and you will put on fake smiles when we get there.”

“Are you kidding me?” My mouth dropped open. “She’s still there?”

He was becoming more hostile. He clipped out icily, “Mason, you and I will have a private conversation later, but right now you will act like loving and respectful sons. She is waiting for us.”

“At the house?”

He turned to Logan. “What?”

Logan gestured out the window. “We’re not going home. Where are we going?”

I shook my head and said, “Unbelievable. You’re taking us to eat somewhere?” I glanced at Logan. “He doesn’t trust us in private at the house and he thinks we’ll act appropriately in public.”

Logan grinned. “It’s like he doesn’t know us at all.”

I grunted. This was all becoming ridiculous. I hadn’t said two words to this woman, but I was already beginning to hate her. “Do you love her?”

James grew still at my question.

I saw the answer in his eyes. “You do. Shit. You love her.” He was standing up for her. He was reprimanding his children for her. He was still going through with this meeting. My gut twisted as I realized that this was the love he should’ve had for our mom. “Are you kidding me?”

Logan looked over. “What?”

James was watching me. He saw that I saw it and he grew guarded. A warning note flashed in his gaze. He shook his head at me, telling me not to share that detail with Logan. I scoffed. Logan was going to know. Logan knew everything anyway. Then the car was pulling over and Logan asked again, “Mason? What? What’s he kidding about?”

The car stopped then and James pointed to the door. “Go inside, Logan.”

“But—”

“Now.”

Logan glanced at me. I nodded, giving my approval. He went, but he waited outside the door of the restaurant.

“You love her.” I said it. I hated saying it. “You love her how you should’ve loved Mom. Don’t you?”

He wasn’t even ashamed of it either. James glanced at Logan before looking back at me. “You won’t say a word about this to Logan. Do you understand?”

“Why? You’re going to ask her to move in, aren’t you? That’s what this is all about.”

He shook his head. “Not yet. She’s not going to move in yet, but yes, eventually. She’s not quite ready to leave her husband yet.”

I rolled my eyes. That was ridiculous. “What game is she playing? She targeted you, Dad. I have a hard time believing she doesn’t want to leave her husband yet.” Unless…I watched him and saw how a mask fell over him. Then I knew. “It’s the daughter, isn’t it?”

His eyes widened. “How did you—never mind. I don’t even want to know, but what I do want to say is this,” he stopped, an ominous cloud formed over him and he scowled at me, “you will stop all of this bullshit you’re doing, Mason. You lead him.” We both knew he was referring to Logan. “He will do anything you want him to do. He worships you so you will stop with your games right now. Being arrested is the last straw.”

I laughed. “Yeah? What are you going to do—”

“I will send him away.”

I stopped. A chill went through me and I saw he was being serious. “You wouldn’t.”

“I would. You are both underage. Nate’s parents called me this morning. They’re taking him away too.”

Shit. I closed my eyes. He had warned me, but fuck, I hadn’t thought it was true.

James added, “I will send Logan away, and it won’t be to your mother’s where you can follow him. It’ll be overseas and in a private boarding school. He’ll go and he’ll stay, and you’ll stay here, stuck with me.”

I couldn’t lose Logan. “You can’t do that.”

“I can and I will. I’ve already contacted three schools this morning. Everything is set up. They’re just waiting for the final paperwork. Logan will pick which school he wants, and he will have to pick one. Then he’ll go and you won’t see your brother for a long time.”

“You’re a dick.”

“Yeah, well, you get some of your qualities from me.” Then he opened the door. “Now, you will get out of this car, you will pretend that you love me, and you will be polite when you meet Analise. She’s important to me. And you will not say a word of this to your brother. You got it?”

I was cursing inside. A wave of fury crashed over me, but I clamped it down and jerked my head in a nod. When we got out of the car, Logan narrowed his eyes at me, but I walked past him. This was going to be the longest meal of my life, but I would play nice. There was no chance in hell he was going to take Logan from me.





17


THE MEAL

She stood up when we got to the table. Smoothing the bottom of her dress, she held out her hand. “Hello, Mason.”

I sat, then gestured to Logan. “Shake his hand. He’s nicer than me most of the time.”

James cursed.

Logan scoffed, sitting next to me. “Whatever.” He said to her, “I’m not. I’m just the youngest so I’m always underestimated.” He flashed a smile at her, baring his teeth in the same gesture. “I’m the one you’ll need to look out for in a couple years. Here’s the warning right now. Don’t forget this.” A warning flared in his eyes. “We know you have a daughter.”

Her eyes got big and she turned, gasping at the same time. “James?”

“They’re joking.” He flashed us a similar warning as Logan’s. “Right?” He emphasized that word as he glared at me, but held his hand out. “Please, sit, Analise. They’re pranksters.” Forcing a laugh out, he sat at the same time she did. “As you’re well aware from the phone calls last night.”

“Yeah.” A small frown appeared on her face. “Samantha’s never been in trouble. She runs a lot, and she doesn’t have the greatest friends, but I can’t complain. My daughter really doesn’t have many problems.”

“Right now.”

She turned to me. Anger flashed in her gaze for a second and I grinned. Got you, bitch. That was the real Analise, not this articulate and kind-spoken woman.

She cleared her throat, the anger gone instantly. “Excuse me?”

I opened my mouth, but Logan beat me to it. He said, “You’re married.”

She choked on a gasp, turning to James again. The blood drained from her face.

“Mason,” he hissed at me.

“I know. You threatened to send Logan to a boarding school if I didn’t play nice.”

“What?”

The fury rose in him; I watched as it filled his gaze. He reached forward, but he grabbed onto his fork and held it tightly. His knuckles turned white from his hold. He said through clenched teeth, “You will play nice now.”

“Or what, Dad? I thought about it in the two seconds from the front door to here and I’m calling your bluff. You’re not sending Logan away. You have shared custody with Mom and there’s no way she’d agree to that.”

“Dad was going to send me away?” Logan was mystified. “Dad?”